From the waterfront Sanctuary hotel, you can walk directly out to the beach. Rated Five Diamonds and Five Stars, the hotel looks corporate from the outside, but is casually elegant inside. The Sanctuary blends southern belle style -- grand curving staircases, antiques and Oriental rugs in tasteful shades of yellow and cream -- with a bit of beach house decor. Thirty-foot high murals of the island's ponds complete with blue herons and grasses adorn the lobby's walls. (Maybe Queen Elizabeth II has a beach castle like this). Nevertheless, well-behaved children won't be intimidated - just watch those sandy feet and wet bathing suits.
The oversized guest rooms have balconies and from some of them, you can listen to the breaking waves as you fall asleep. The Sanctuary provides cribs with baby blankets, rollaways, baby shampoo, rubber duckies, nightlights and outlet protectors freeon a request basis. With a villa or a home stay, cribs and bedrails are available for a fee and in lieu of cots, guests get air mattresses for a fee. Outlet protectors and nightlights are not available.
If not residing at the Sanctuary, pick your accommodation first by location. East Beach, with easy accessibility to the Town Center Market as well as Night Heron Park, location of Kamp Kiawah as well as a popular gathering spot with a pool, tends to be more convenient for families than West Beach. Then, choose: ocean, partial ocean or "scenic" view (woods, trees, lagoons).
Kiawah does not guarantee a specific location, only an accommodation's view and category. Kiawah’s freestanding homes come with more space both inside and out. That may be a consideration for families that don't want to rent a place that's extremely close to another rental. Quiet neighbors are a blessing. That said, you and your neighbors will spend most of your time outdoors.
Kiawah divides its villas (condo, townhouse, or home) into three categories based on furnishings. Remember, some accommodations date to 1976 and since the villas are privately owned the decor varies; some owners have updated while others have not, or at least not recently. Premium villas, the highest-rated lodgings, feature newer furniture and kitchens than the other categories, plus all the bedrooms have televisions. Generally, these units have wide-screen televisions, hardwood floors and stainless steel kitchen appliances. Deluxe villas, the mid-range category, offer what Kiawah labels "tasteful' decor, with televisions in the living room and the master bedroom. Resort villas, the least pricey category, have comfortable and possibly dated furnishings and kitchens, but everything works. All villas come with their own washers and dryers.
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